Christians must relate to non-Christians with love and respect, engage in a humbler dialogue, and recognize the truth and holiness imparted by the Holy Spirit to all religions. This was one of the viewpoints mentioned by Mega Hidayati during the Wednesday Forum held on June 3, 2009. The title of her presentation was ?A Muslim View of Inter-Christian Dialogue.?

Based on her experience doing sandwich program at the Union Theological Seminary in New York, Mega saw that in Christianity there are many different views. For instance, in the evangelical debate, there are two dominant and different views which are exclusivism and inclusivism. She said that the exclusivists position Jesus Christ more as above all beliefs, while the inclusivists, including pluralists, deny the unique divinity or authority above everything.

Wednesday Forum this week provides a topic “A New Trans-yanic Buddhism in the Making?” that will be articulated by the speaker, Prof. Asanga Tilakaratne. We invite you to join this forum. Some information about the forum can be read as follows.

Date: Wednesday, 10 June 2009
Time: 12.30 pm ? 2.30 pm (free lunch)
Venue: Room 306, UGM Graduate School Teknika Utara, Pogung
Speaker: Prof. Asanga Tilakaratne

Abstract:

This paper examines the impact of globalization on religion. The particular emphasis in this study is on Buddhism, which has been confined to its localities for centuries and now has started traveling. Due to extensive physical encounters among various Buddhist traditions naturally there have been many interchanges of ideas, practices, techniques, methods and even ideas. It appears that a trans-yanic Buddhism, which goes beyond the traditional categories such as Hinayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana, is in the making.

The conflict in Poso has caused segregation within its society which will be indicated with the existence of territories or boundaries based on certain religions. In relation with the segregation, Izak Y. M. Lattu, a CRCS alumnus who is currently working at Satya Wacana Christian University, said that the existence of the Youth Center in Poso is effective in building openness and peaceful relationship among the Poso youth. Through its implementation, positive impacts are expected to happen in the near future. Since its establishment, one of its positive impacts is bridging the segregation.

When we talk about Islamic state, there are many interpretations related to that concept. According to Salem Ghandour, the guest speaker during the weekly Wednesday Forum on April 13, 2009, the ideas with regard to Islamic state in reference to the Qur?an and Hadith are narrow-minded. The Prophet Muhammad himself during his time did not claim of establishing an Islamic state. This narrow-mindedness is greatly influenced by Arabic countries, especially by the imams from al-Azhar in Egypt.

To show the differences between interpretations, Salem begun the forum by asking ?what Islamic state is? to two participants. The first participant answered that Islamic state is a state that holds Islamic law in its system. Substantially, Indonesia is an Islamic state, he said. The second participant emphasized more on governance that dominates pluralism under authority of Islamic state.

Our topic discussion of Wednesday Forum this week is “A Muslim View of Inter-Christian Dialogue”, that will be articulated by the speaker, Mega Hidayati, M. A. We invite you to join this forum. Some information about the forum can be read as follows.

Date: Wednesday, 6 June 2009
Time: 12.30 pm ? 2.30 pm (free lunch)
Venue: Room 306, UGM Graduate School Teknika Utara, Pogung
Speaker: MEGA HIDAYATI, M. A.

Abstract:

The diversity of religions and of Christianity in the world calls for respect and cooperation. Interreligious and intrareligious dialogues can be two of the paths to respond on this calling. Indeed, both kinds of dialogues are not easy especially related to conflicting truths as we can find in immense writings and experiences.

During the April 29, 2009 Wednesday Forum, Agus Tridiatno Yoachim, a first year ICRS-Yogya student, spoke about the Sacred Heart of Jesus Temple in Ganjuran, Bantul; a place where Catholic Christians go for pilgrimage. The place is teemed with water which is considered as a medium of God?s blessing to his people. The water flows from a wellspring. The pilgrims relate the water to their faith to Jesus Christ. Through the water, their hopes will be answered and their diseases will be healed too.

Historically, the existence of the temple was started by the Schmutzer family who were into sugar industry in Ganjuran. They bought sugarcane field and a sugar factory called Gondang Lipoero. They built a Catholic church in Hindu style in 1924, and then build the Sacred Heart of Jesus Temple, a monument to worship Jesus Christ; the construction of the temple was from 1927 to 1930.